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Caroline Bingley gave a small chuckle as Darcy joined her and her sister on the dais. He frowned. “Not at all, Miss Bingley. I have been very pleasantly engaged. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is delightfully witty and spirited.”

“It is a pity she is not as pretty as Miss Jane Bennet,” Miss Bingley replied quickly.

Darcy frowned. “To the contrary. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a very pleasing young woman. And I do not believe I have ever seen such remarkably fine eyes.”

He regretted the words almost as soon as he had spoken them, for they were only too true.

It was strange, but while he had gone to test her motives and character for his friend, he had ended by being little short of enchanted himself.

Darcy could not recall ever meeting another lady with such a remarkable combination of intelligence and humour, good nature and strength.

She had showed great spirit in defending her unusual upbringing to him, and great love and loyalty for her family.

He thought it irregular for a landed gentleman’s daughters not to have had a governess.

But it showed great fortitude that she had taught herself, and with such notable results.

And she had shown such care for her sisters.

Surely that was how family ought to be — always looking out for each other, seeing that the others had what they needed to flourish.

It was just the sort of family he wanted to raise when he found the right woman.

“Mr Darcy? Are you quite well?” Mrs Hurst asked, drawing him out of his reverie.

He shook his head slightly and clasped his hands behind his back.

He looked toward the area where Miss Elizabeth and her sisters had congregated.

They seemed to be having a lovely time together.

Would that he had not been the only son of his father.

He was grateful to have a sister, of course, but there were so many years between them that their relationship could never have the freedom and ease of siblings closer in age — particularly as he was now also the nearest thing Georgiana had to a father.

How different everything might have been, if only Georgiana had the companionship of a sister!

“I am well,” Mr Darcy replied after a long pause. “Forgive me. I was lost in thought.”

“So we saw,” Mrs Hurst said, a sarcastic bite to her tone. “The Meryton ladies are charming indeed, if they can prove such a distraction to a gentleman who is accustomed to the drawing rooms and salons of London.”

She walked away before Darcy could say anything, taking her younger sister with her.

He could not regret their absence. Miss Bingley had tried several times to commiserate with him about the evening, though Darcy had not chosen to agree.

There was a wicked amusement to seeing her grow increasingly frustrated with his dissent, before finally leaving him to follow her sister.

The night had grown late before Darcy finally persuaded Bingley that they should retire, if only for the sake of Miss Bingley and the rest of the party who had travelled out from London.

The carriage ride back to Netherfield was nearly silent, for they drove home in varying degrees of thoughtfulness.

No one saw much use in voicing their thoughts, and that was just as well with Darcy.

When they arrived back at Netherfield, they said their goodnights. Miss Bingley and the Hursts had already begun climbing the stairs to their rooms when Bingley forestalled him.

“Talk with me a little, my old friend — at least, if you are not too tired.”

Darcy readily agreed and followed him into the study. Bingley poured each of them a healthy glass of port, and the two friends raised their glasses to each other in a silent toast.

They settled in two of the overstuffed chairs near the hearth. “What an evening, would you not say?” Bingley exclaimed happily.

Darcy thought for a moment before speaking. “It was that,” he replied. “What do you think of your new residence? Do you think you will stay?”

“I cannot imagine what would convince me to leave!” Bingley replied, leaning forward excitedly in his chair. “It is a very pleasant neighbourhood, and I have never seen so many pretty girls in all my life.”

“Perhaps you ought to say, ‘such a pretty girl,’ for I assume you speak of Miss Jane Bennet,” Darcy returned. “You danced two sets with her this evening.”

“And I would have asked for a third, if propriety allowed it. She is the most delightful creature I have ever beheld!” Bingley leaned back in his chair, shaking his head as though he dared anyone to argue with him. He paused, looking over at Darcy. “But her sister is very agreeable as well.”

Not wishing to betray himself, Darcy only nodded. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet seems a pleasant sort. She truly was not angry about your comment comparing the two of them?”

“I do not think so. Why, did she seem so when you danced with her?” Mr Bingley looked worried. “Shall I visit the Bennets tomorrow and apologise again?”

Darcy did not care for the idea of him going alone to visit the Bennets.

If anything, he would suggest they go along together once an appropriate amount of time had transpired.

“That might send the wrong message. Unless — have I perhaps misread you? Are you indeed interested in her as a suitor would be?”

Mr Bingley only shrugged. “She is very pleasant to converse with.”

Darcy was only slightly more at ease with that answer. “To answer your question: no. Miss Elizabeth did not seem peeved in the slightest. She was very pleasant to dance with, as you have already said.”

“Yes, I am glad you agree. Well, I hope she did not misunderstand. I have a great liking for her already. But her sister —” Bingley lifted his eyes heavenward. “She is like an angel come down to walk among us.”

Darcy did his best to suppress a smile. He himself would not have waxed so poetically about a woman he had just met, but he had not the slightest doubt of Bingley’s sincerity. His friend was sometimes over-eager in his enthusiasms, but never less than honest.

“Well, my friend. I think it is high time we both retire. I am sure we shall have many calls to make and many to receive tomorrow.” Bingley got up from his chair and deposited his half-drunk glass of port on the sidebar.

Darcy did the same with his, of which he had only imbibed a few sips, and followed Bingley out of the room.

It was not until they had started to climb the stairs that he realised how exhausted he was.

Yet Darcy was conscious of an unusual gladness that he had not stayed in that night.

Had he been given the option, he certainly would have remained at home, and yet if he had, he would not have met the most fascinating woman of his acquaintance.

He said a last “goodnight” to Bingley before he opened the door to his suite of rooms and closed the door. Thankfully, his valet was waiting to help him undress.

Alone at last, he ran over the events of the evening once again, wondering at his strange feelings.

How could Elizabeth have so thoroughly captured his thoughts and his imagination after only a single meeting?

Yet he would have to be on his guard. The single meeting that had sufficed to show him her marvellous spirit and sparkling eyes had also revealed that her mother and younger sisters were by no means in command of equal elegance.

Bingley might be ready to declare himself in love without considering the connections and respectability of his lady, but Darcy had not the slightest intention of so committing his heart so recklessly.